


Masks and Love

by Dionte



Series: Chosen Week 2018 [4]
Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Chosen Week, Drabble, F/M, introspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 12:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13341462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dionte/pseuds/Dionte
Summary: Sometimes you can’t help but admire someone.For Chosen Week 2018, Day Four: Admiration. “You’re amazing Colette. I could never be like that.”





	Masks and Love

Zelos often found himself watching Colette. He didn’t mean to, and he certainly didn’t mean it in a lecherous way- though she had this sort of sweet beauty to go along with that loving spirit- but his eyes kept roving to her when she was around.

 

She was kind and had smiles for everyone, even when this sort of haunted look came into her eyes. It was a look he recognized- a look of death. She had once been meant to die, and he was sure she felt the weight of every death that happened when she survived her regeneration journey. The first time he saw it, she covered it with a blinding smile so quickly, he wondered if he was just imagining things.

 

It appeared more often after they made it back to Sylvarant.

 

He could see the struggle in her expressions as people wished for her success in regenerating the world, not knowing how much further she had gone than that. She loved people so much that it hurt him to watch, because they would never know that she almost died trying to save them.

 

So he watched when she forgave her imposters, returning the stolen money to the townsfolk. He watched as she and most of their party cheered as Luin was rebuilt. He watched her joyfully name dogs, and it was oddly at those times that her smile looked the most genuine.

 

He wondered how she always had so much love to give to those around her.

 

He couldn’t help but admire her.

 

* * *

 

Colette had eyes for Lloyd. That's what everyone said at least. It was what she believed too, until she realized that Lloyd wasn't the one her eyes had been drawn to recently. It was Zelos. At first, it was just curiosity that kept her attention on him. He was the Chosen of the this world. How did he deal with that title and what sort of life had he lead? After their conversation leaving the elemental cargo, that curiosity got stronger. After that glimpse, she had to wonder- what was Zelos like behind that mask he always wore?

 

She supposed it was around this time that she also began to admire him, just a bit.  


 

Zelos was so incredible at hiding himself. He was remarkably smart, and especially savvy in the way of the world. She may care about people, but Zelos  _knew_ them. He understood how to talk to them, when they were hiding something, or even how to manipulate them.

 

Whenever they were attacked by the Pope's men, she began recalling Zelos's words to her after she blamed herself. His explanation of exactly why it wasn't her fault. Those words encouraged her far more than what Lloyd said.

 

Beyond the belittling from their party, becoming wanted by the Kingdom, even believing he was disliked by his sister, he kept up his facade of fun and lightheartedness.

 

And so her eyes ended up following him. Maybe the others didn't think so, because it was Zelos, but she thought he was admirable, if you just paid attention.


End file.
